


Knowledge and Admiration

by Shi_Toyu



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, BAMF Tony Stark, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Gen, Loki (mentioned) - Freeform, Nebula (mentioned) - Freeform, Non-Romantic Relationship, Relationship Study, Spoilers, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 06:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu
Summary: AVENGERS: ENDGAME SPOILERS. SUMMARY WITHIN.





	Knowledge and Admiration

**Author's Note:**

> A look at Tony Stark through Thanos's eyes.

Thanos appreciated competency. He appreciated intelligence, strategy, and efficiency. He admired it, even. With his children, he did his best to foster those qualities, some taking to them more readily than others. Gamora was fantastically gifted in many departments, pairing her competency with strength and character like a fine wine and choice cheeses. He could imagine her one day even taking his place, watching over the balance of things and making sure they stayed that way.

So, when someone flew through a portal to where his invasion forces were waiting and destroyed them with a single blow. Well, it got Thanos’s attention.

Loki had been a convenient tool that’d fallen into his lap. Had he proven himself with the invasion of Terra, Thanos had entertained the thought of bringing him into the family as well. There was much for Loki to learn, of course, but he had a good foundation. There was such potential in him, if he could only be brought to heel. Terra had been a test, an assessment, to see how he performed. It was supposed to be relatively easy. Even with Asgard’s watchful gaze upon it, Thanos hadn’t expected Terra able to mount such a defense. He hadn’t expected Terra to be able to mount _any_ real defense, truthfully.

For a being with Thanos’s resources, it didn’t take long for him to get the information he desired. A mortal. A Terran mortal had been the one to destroy a whole swath of his fleet. It was absurd to even imagine.

Tony Stark.

Thanos would remember that name.

.

It was emboldening to know that he succeeded in his goal. The pride and joy Thanos felt when it became clear from the future Nebula’s memories that he’d gathered the stones and restored the balance was almost indescribable. It was a relief, the weight on his shoulders easing with the surety of his success. It was an affirmation that everything he had done and everything he would do was _worth it_.

He found the arrogance of the Terrans both pitiable and irritating. Did they truly believe they could overcome what the universe was meant to be? That they could overcome Thanos? They might have managed to kill him, in their timeline, but he was inevitable. He would simply have to step in and ensure their failure. He would make absolutely certain that they couldn’t undo his work, and that no one would make the attempt to ever again.

He didn’t realize until the he saw the red and gold suit striding toward him that this would be his chance to meet Tony Stark face-to-face. He’d been focused on bigger things, more pressing things, but the realization thrilled him. He would have to kill Stark, just as he would kill all of them, but he could bring him back, too. Thanos admired the strength and conviction of his spirit, but he’d have to make sure he would be more agreeable to their cause in the new world Thanos created. It would be a simple enough thing with the mind stone resting in his gauntlet.

And wasn’t that just a wonderful surprise? That this man had managed to build a gauntlet that could withstand the force of using the infinity gems. It was undeniably impressive work. An engineer of such quality would be invaluable in providing for their new world. Thanos could not have imagined a more perfect child to add to his number. Tony Stark would be a fantastic addition.

As an enemy, though, Stark was a nuisance. Every time Thanos put him down, the man clawed his way back up, made it back onto his feet, forced his spine straight to stand tall. He never let up, never backed down. He would fight tooth and nail right until the very end. That was alright, though, because Thanos already knew the end.

“I am inevitable.”

He snapped his fingers.

Nothing happened.

“And I am Iron Man.”


End file.
